Time for goodbye to a good dog.

The sad fact is that animal lovers will outlive many pets. How do we deal with this loss?

Many people tell me they just can't stand the loss of another animal so they won't get another cat, dog, insert animal here.  I don't understand this way of thinking at all.

I used to get sad and depressed and stay in bed for weeks but I've overcome that.  Now too many animals depend on me for their care to take the time to grieve in that manner.

Now I focus on the good times and remember my animals fondly and without so much sadness.  Instead I am happy in the knowledge that I gave them the best life I could and I let them leave this earth with their dignity.

So how do you know when it's the best time to take your pet his last visit to the vet for euthanasia?  Everyone has a different opinion for this but Marcel and I have decided that we would rather not see any animal suffer much further than the regular woes of old age.  Once an animal shows us his quality of life is gone we have the discussion about the next move.  I have my own way of finding the best time to end my animal friend's life.

If you listen your dog, cat, horse he will tell you when he's ready to go.  Have a quiet moment alone together.  Clear your mind of all thoughts and breath deep and slow.  Relax your body all over. You can speak or you can just think it but ask the question "are you ready to go?" then being quiet and concentrating on your breathing wait for a response and his answer should just pop into your mind. Some people have the "gift" and can do this easily and other people never achieve the ability to communicate with animals in this manner.  I seem to only be able to do to it when the situation is very serious and the weight is heavy on my mind about an issue being passing or doing something else like moving one to a new home.

Many people keep their animals alive simply because they can't let go.  I do not think of that as kindness.  To me it is very sad situation.  Animals live in the moment, that is what they have to teach us silly humans.  When there are no more good moments for them it is kinder to let them go. This is against the grain for us humans who typically live in the past and then spend our lives planning for some uncertain future.

Animals bring such joy and special knowledge to us humans I can't imagine not having some kind of pet in my life.  I hope there is never a time when I can't take care of a pet because that will be the time I'm ready to leave this world and see all my past pets in the next phase of my being.  And what's sad about that??????